InnVision, a nonprofit organization located in Willow Glen, needs donations for the holidays.

Some of the items on its wish list are digital cameras for capturing client and volunteer activities, holiday decorations such as garlands, lights, wreaths and stockings for small gifts that will be given to clients.

InnVision, which is based in San Jose, focuses on empowering the homeless and at-risk families and individuals through its various programs. It offers various levels of housing and day programs in a safe and supportive environment.

To donate, contact Autumn Gutierrez at 408.292.4286. For more information, visit www.innvision.org

Four bridges to get
seismic upgrades

The Willow Street rail bridge will be the first of four bridges to get a seismic upgrade on Dec. 19.

Caltrain crews will reinforce the bridge supports with concrete over a three-week period. The construction may cause traffic to be diverted between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Caltrain will also upgrade rail bridges at Bird and Park avenues and Taylor Street. The project will be completed in mid-April.

Power outages fry
appliances in homes

Several neighbors on and near Winona Drive lost more than their power after the Dec. 1 storm.

Pine Avenue resident Susan Espinoza and Winona Drive resident Dan Williams, along with their neighbors, lost power overnight. Although power returned on the morning of Dec. 2, it soon went back out. When the power returned later in the day, a power surge fried many appliances, including computers, home entertainment centers, microwaves and garage door openers. Other appliances such as refrigerators, stoves and washers are also having problems.

By 7 p.m., Espinoza said, "We knew everything was gone."

Williams has since submitted a claim to PG&E for the damage.

Williams believes the power outage caused a significant expense to affected homeowners.

The power outage triggered additional problems for the Espinozas. The family went without heat for a week and had to replace essential items such as a computer, so their oldest son could finish his college papers, and a television for the home.

The neighbors say that too much power was routed to their homes, resulting in their losses. PG&E spokesman Jeff Smith could not confirm why this happened.

"It's not impossible, but it's certainly unusual," Smith said.

Smith said PG&E investigators will look into each claim and the cause of broken appliances. In the event of another power outage, Smith recommends unplugging all major appliances.

Caltrain fares increase
starting first of year

Caltrain will implement a 5.6 percent increase to its base fare on Jan. 1. The base fare for a one-way ticket will increase by 25 cents. Zone charges will not go up.

This is the second of a two-phase fare increase that was approved by the Caltrain policy board last spring to address the railroad's significant budget shortfall, which has been further exacerbated by higher fuel costs.

The increase is expected to raise $600,000 during the remaining six months in the current fiscal year, or $1.2 million annually.

Senior, disabled and youth one-way fares will remain unchanged.

Sobriety checkpoints in place over holidays

The annual Avoid the 13 anti drinking and driving campaign kicked off throughout Santa Clara County Dec. 16. More than 50-officer DUI strike teams are participating in the campaign that will last until New Year's Day. The campaign includes sobriety check points and roving patrols. The campaign involves more than 125 police departments from all nine Bay Area counties. Police reported more than 2,600 arrests related to driving while under the influence during last year's campaign.

Holiday schedule for Caltrain, SamTrans

SamTrans and Caltrain will be operating modified schedules over the Christmas holiday.

On Christmas Day, SamTrans will operate its Sunday schedule. On Dec. 26, the following SamTrans routes will run on the following holiday schedule:

In north county: 112, 120, 121, 122, 130; In central county and coastside: 110, 294 In south county: 280, 281, 296, 297; San Francisco to Peninsula: KX, 390, 391, 292, 397. No other SamTrans routes will operate.

Caltrain will operate on a Sunday schedule on both Dec. 25 and 26. The Sunday schedule includes 28 trains operating between San Francisco and San Jose.

For more information, call 800.660-4287 or log on to www.caltrain.com.

Transient stabbed in North Willow Glen

According to San Jose police, a 33-year-old transient was hit on the head and stabbed in the ribs with a knife near the train tracks near the 1600 block of Almaden Road.

The alleged assailant was identified as San Jose resident Martin Herrera Guerrero Jr., 35, police spokesman Enrique Garcia said.

After the victim was stabbed on Dec. 9, he staggered over to a business and called 911 from a payphone at 1:25 a.m. He told police he was attacked near his encampment and sustained serious but nonlife- threatening injuries. He was treated at a local hospital, according to police.

Officers located Guerrero near the area where the incident occurred. After the victim positively identified him, Guerrero was booked on charges of assault with a deadly weapon, violation of parole and an outstanding probation violation warrant.

Garcia said the individuals did not know each other. The police have not determined a motive.

Foundation reaches
funding benchmark

The Willow Glen community came together to show its support at the fourth annual wine-tasting benefit for the Willow Glen Middle and High School Foundation on Nov. 13.

The foundation raised $11,000, up from last year's figure of $8,000, which was twice as much as was raised in 2003.

Kim Guptill, president of the foundation, said she was thrilled with the outcome.

"Our first-ever live auction was extremely popular," Guptill said in an email. "The crowd enjoyed the middle and high school student art, as well as the pieces we auctioned from the Arts Guild of Willow Glen."

A portion of the proceeds from the wine tasting will go toward three college scholarships for seniors recognized for their academic achievement and community service. A portion of the funds allows a student to attend a summer math workshop at UC-Irvine. Other funds are used for the high school's college and career counseling program, and the robotics and music programs at the middle and high schools.

Plan for a medical center approved

San Jose City Council members unanimously approved a plan to identify and set aside land at the former San Jose Medical Center site that could one day be expanded into a comprehensive medical facility.

The medical center, which was located downtown, closed its doors for good in December 2004, leaving the area without a medical facility. Council members voted on Dec. 6 to approve a work plan that would evaluate the future of the site.

The work plan calls for hiring a health-care consultant and a land-use planner to help planning department officials make a recommendation by September 2006.

Half a dozen members from the activist group Save San Jose Medical Center Coalition spoke in favor of the plan.